Lindfield

Lindfield, and its extension to West Lindfield and East Lindfield, is contained within the borders of Stanhope Road, Eastern Arterial Road, Garigal National Park, Archbold, Chelmsford and Waimea Roads to the east of the highway, and Fiddens Wharf Road, and Lane Cove National Park to the west of the highway.

It is believed the name Lindfield originated from the village of Lindfield in Sussex, England. The name was given to a cottage built in 1884 by Francis John List, of Sussex, and in turn used for a station name when the new north shore railway was developed. The cottage was moved to No 2 Wetherill Street Narrabeen in two sections, 70 years ago, and has since been demolished.

Pacific Highway (c1920 : Sept 2007)

Early History

The first land usage by Europeans at Lindfield was the extension of the Lane Cove Sawing Establishment to the level ground adjacent to what is now a roundabout marking the intersection of Fiddens Wharf Road, Bradfield Road and Lady Game Drive. The camp at the river end of Fiddens Wharf Road had been established from c1805, and it is likely that the more permanent camp was established to cater for the cattle, and for the 48 convicts based there. The camp was still in existence in 1816, but was likely to have been abandoned by 1819.

By 1812, the government was promising land to likely settlers on the undertaking that they would start improving the land by clearing the timber prior to farming. One such settler was Daniel Dering Mathew, whose promised land (granted eventually in 1819) spanned the present Roseville / Lindfield, extending along the eastern side of the highway as far north as Tryon Road. All early grants were measured from the main road.

Apart from William Henry (who occupied land along the Lane Cover River from 1814), Daniel Mathew and Richard Archbold, little is known of the early Lindfield pioneers. An exception is George Cadby, of the NSW Veteran Corps who in 1831 was promised 100 acres of land on the west of the ridge. Cadby was authorised to take possession of the land in July 1833. He soon made application for six convicts to work for him.

George Cadby’s grant was located in the heart of Lindfield, extending along the main road from Bent and Balfour Streets to Lindfield Public School, thence westwards to beyond Ivey Street. Cadby is listed as living in Lane Cove from 1834 to 1837. He returned to England and died there in 1864.

Cadby’s Road probably followed the route of Beaconsfield Parade, Ivey Street, and Grosvenor Road down to Little Blue Gum Creek. Most roads formed during this period provided access to the Lane Cove River. The major roads were Fiddens Wharf Road, and Grosvenor Road, (formed by Richard Archbold, and formerly called Dick’s Road), Bradfield Road (formerly Hyndes Wharf Road, and before that Cooks Wharf Road). These also ran to the river.

Other roads were the boundaries of grants: for example, the boundary of Henry Oliver’s land was Treatts Road, and Tryon Road had formed the boundary of Mathew's/Archbold’s land.

Between 1840 and 1880 Lindfield, as part of the area known as Lane Cove, was a timber-getting community and evolved into a farming community as the land was cleared. Fruit trees and later market gardens were planted. The Lane Cove River was the main transport artery, and early development focused there. It was not until the second half of the 19th century that the highway emerged as the major route, with a consequent increase in settlement.